The Origins of Hymsa in Ancient India

One of the most famous aspects of Indian society is widespread vegetarianism. Yet texts that grew out of that culture often encourage us to avoid harming animals. What we really need to discuss is what the traditions refer to as a hymsa, meaning non-violence or non-injury. While it may seem that avoiding violence implies vegetarianism, this was denied in some Vedic texts which claimed that sacrifice of animals could be consistent with a Hymsa.